Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Interview with Mathieu Rondeau of Warsenal

Recently I had the chance to talk with vocalist/guitarist Mathieu
Rondeau of the Canadian band Warsenal. For those of you who don't know the band you're missing out! Warsenal plays a killer brand of thrash metal and their 3-track demo (see link below) was one of the best thrash EPs I've heard in a very long time! I want to thank Mathieu for taking time away from his schedule to answer a few questions.

Andy-Could you introduce the band for us please?

Mathieu
Rondeau-Warsenal is 3
pieces Thrash/Speed Metal band from Montreal, Canada. We’re
together since 2011, in October if I well remember. Mathieu
Rondeau – Guitar and VocalsFrancis Labine – Bass
GuitarAntoine Turcotte – Drums

Andy-How did you guys form and where did the name Warsenal come from?

MR-I started
playing guitar at 14 and my best friend Francis started playing bass
about a year later. We were playing thrash covers together with a
drummer, but a year later he quit the band saying we were too
crazy, destroying and burning stuff in his house where we were
practising. Then, in 2011, we met our actual drummer Antoine in a
party. The next week we planned jamming together playing a cover:
Slayer – Antichrist, but we never played it and started composing
songs right away. That’s how Warsenal was born. And our name
comes from “The Arsenal of Megadeth”. We are big Megadeth’s
fan and we wanted to put arsenal in our name, ‘cause we felt it
fitted well with the music we are playing, but finding a name that
is not already taken is a real pain in the ass, so I came up with
the idea: War Arsenal, but I found it hard to say and not sounding
so good. So as I was writing War Arsenal down on a paper, the idea
came clear: Take off the “Ar”. All the band members agreed that
it sounded good and here we are: Warsenal.

Andy-Your sound is deeply rooted in thrash metal. Who influenced you guys both as a band and personally?

MR-The furthest
from home we have played is at the True Thrash Fest in Osaka Japan
Ferbruary 10th
2013.

Andy-Any shows that stick out for you?

MR-And that show
in Osaka was the sickest show we have ever played. Those Japanese
people were crazy headbanging, stage diving and circle pitting
during all our set. Kind of 80’s style gig. And I remember while
playing Unstoppable, 4 people got on stage and one of them put his
arm on my shoulder and started headbanging with me and then the 3
others did the same, so that was a kind of small “headbanging
chain” and when I started singing they all jumped back in the
crowd. That was a magic moment.

Andy-Given the chance what band (past or present) would you kill to play with?

MR-Megadeth

Andy-Fill in the blank time. Warsenal cannot hit the road without...

MR-Warsenal cannot
hit the road without … beer!

Andy-Personal choice-Metallica or Megadeth?

MR-Megadeth

Andy-Iron Maiden or Judas Priest?

MR-Iron Maiden

Andy-Black Sabbath with Ozzy or Black Sabbath with Dio?

MR-With Ozzy

Andy-If you could sign with any label who would it be?

MR-For our first
record we would like to sign with: Nuclear Blast, Earache Records or
maybe Metal Blade.

Andy-Is there any new material you guys are working on?

MR-We are now
composing some songs for a future album. We have 7 songs done so
far. We’ll probably compose 2 more and we’ll be ready to record
an album.

Andy-What's the chances fans see a new demo or album from Warsenal in 2013?

MR-If everything
goes right, we plan on releasing an album in 2014. But we might put
another song or 2 online ‘til then.

"So, in closing, fuck you METAL MARK. Fuck you, fuck Lynch Mob, and fuck your shitty website!”
“I don't know who this METAL MARK is, but I know better than to waste my time checking out anything else written by this asshole”
-Mike